BELLEVILLE — A police investigation into a high school student's "inappropriate social media posts" has been turned over to the school district, authorities said.

Schools Superintendent Richard Tomko wrote in a letter posted on the district's website on Wednesday that the student's postings, in the form of a "meme" or humorous online image, was "a joke," and "there was never any imminent threat to any person at our schools."

While Tomko's announcement came on the heels of heightened awareness following the school killings in Florida, Detective Sgt. John McAloon said the investigation into 17-year-old Belleville High School student's activity started before the shootings in the high school in Parkland, Fla.

Law enforcement determined this week that the Belleville School District should continue the investigation, McAloon said.

"It's not criminal. They're going to handle it internally," he said of the posts. Authorities declined to discuss the specifics of the posts.

Belleville police were searching the student's social media accounts as part of a prior police investigation into harassment, said McAloon.

The detective sergeant provided the update shortly after a Wednesday evening community meeting, during which police discussed school security with about 60 people, including members of the Board of Education and Township Council.

“We’re trying to preach prevention here. It doesn’t have to come to carnage.”

He provided advice on how to spot a would-be active shooter before that shooter attacks, telling the public to look out for people who might post, draw, write, or otherwise express fantasies about creating carnage.

McAloon said anyone who observes such behavior should notify the police.

"Most kids don't fantasize about shooting up a school," McAloon said. "There's something terribly wrong about that, and we need to be notified if something like that occurs."

Brenda Ramirez, 43, the parent of a Belleville High School freshman, said that while some parents prefer to distance themselves, she will speak up.

"They don't want to be the ones that say, 'Hey, can you talk to that guy, but not me," Ramirez told NorthJersey.com.

While residents asked about armed officers in schools, police noted the district has retired police officers assigned to all Belleville elementary schools, in addition to school resource officers in Belleville High School and Belleville Middle School.

During the forum, billed as a "Coffee with a Cop," police also provided tips from the Department of Homeland Security on what to do when an active shooter opens fire.